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Delphi Street residents demand vagrants be removed from their doorstep

The removal of vagrants from Jimmy Aves Park has led to an influx of homeless people in Delphi Street, leaving residents of Glen Park View and Glen Park Apartments frustrated and concerned about their safety.

Residents of Glen Park View and Glen Park Apartments in Pretoria east are at their wits’ end due to the increasing number of vagrants on Delphi Street.

Homeless people in the area have taken over the sidewalks.

Glen Park View resident Kamogelo Gaetise claimed the vagrants previously squatted at Jimmy Aves Park before they were removed, only to move to Delphi Street months later.

“They used to stay at the park, but now they’re here and it’s causing a lot of problems,” she said.

Gaetise described the situation as “unbearable”, citing safety concerns, noise pollution and unhygienic living conditions.

“They’re violent, make noise every night and have made the area unsafe for us,” she said.

“They swear at people walking by, and the waste they generate has turned the area into a dumpsite.”

Gaetise said in addition to the noise and safety concerns, they are also grappling with the unsanitary conditions the vagrants created.

She stated that they relieve themselves in public, including in front of the complex causing an unbearable stench and sight.

The vagrants’ presence has also affected Gaetise’s plans to sell her house.

“I’ve been trying to sell my house, but the first thing potential buyers see are the homeless people,” she said.

She stated that the value of the house is falling because of them.

“Last week they attacked one of the trustees in the complex when he tried to take pictures of them.”

Gaetise said they have reported the matter, but nothing has been done yet.

“We also have been signing petitions to have them removed.”

Security was called to escort him

Ward 83 councillor Andrew Lesch acknowledged the problem.

Lesch stated that he had received numerous complaints from residents.

“Residents in Glen Park View and Glen Park Apartments are complaining about the noise, people urinating in the street, and bathing in the spruit.”

Lesch said people who live in the complex have children, and this is not a good environment for them to grow up in.

He said the vagrants were offered alternative accommodation when they were moved from Jimmy Aves Park.

“However, instead of moving to the provided accommodation, they moved to Delphi Street.”

Lesch added that some locals no longer feel safe in the area.

“Business owners have also complained about the vagrants. When it’s raining, they take shelter on business premises,” he said.

Homeless people in Delphi street have taken over the sidewalks, streets, and surrounding areas.

According to Lesch, some locals offer the vagrants food.

“Some people come and give them food, which I think is one of the reasons they refuse to move.”

Lesch said in the streets where they live, there are no washing facilities or toilets.

He said that they are working on a process to remove them.

Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the metro is dealing with the matter.

He stated that the metro will deploy social workers to conduct an assessment and come up with a tailored response.

Mashigo said the social workers were booked to visit the area on January 20.

“The assessment will determine if the intervention requires homeless shelters,” he said.

“The metro will facilitate the process mainly for those who are willing to relocate.”

Mashigo said social workers had visited the area before.

He explained that social workers provided an intervention for homeless shelters.

“The homeless people refused to be relocated as they only wanted stands and RDP houses.”

According to Mashigo, the metro has been dealing with the issue of vagrants through the Street Homelessness Policy adopted in 2019.

He explained the key priorities of the policy are to have homeless shelters in each region and provide them with psychosocial support to the homeless, skills development as well as employment opportunities.

Mashigo added that some vagrants turned down homeless shelters accommodation because they don’t want to follow rules.

“Hence, by-laws will need to be enforced where people are located in places they are not supposed to be,” he said.

Mashigo advised communities to report by-law infringements to the Tshwane Metro Police Department for enforcement.

“We need the community’s help to address this issue. We can’t do it alone.”

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